Man indicted on 100-plus animal cruelty, dogfighting charges

Devecio Ranard Rowland

Devecio Ranard Rowland

A North Georgia man is facing 107 counts of felony aggravated cruelty to animals and felony dogfighting after he was indicted last week, a prosecutor said.

Devecio Ranard Rowland, 32, has been jailed in Polk County since August, when 72 dogs were found on property he owned, the Rome News-Tribune reported.

An additional 35 dogs Rowland owned were found at a second property in the county, officials said.

Video played in court showed that the dogs were forced to sit in their own urine and feces and in some cases appeared to be strapped to a stand for breeding, Channel 2 Action News reported.

Officials also said they found steroids, antibiotics and dogfighting training videos in Rowland’s house.

The grand jury cleared Candice Sorrells, Rowland’s girlfriend, in the case, the newspaper reported. She said a dog found at her home was not involved in the case.

The case is expected in court early in 2018, according to Polk County District Attorney Jack Browning.

Read more of the story here (subscription site).

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